'Little Easier Than at Home' – Former Indian cricketer's bold remark on Ravindra Jadeja's 72 on day 3 of ENG vs IND 3rd Test 2025
Sanjay Manjrekar suggests Ravindra Jadeja capitalized on less challenging England pitches to regain his Test form.
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Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has credited Ravindra Jadeja’s superb form in the ongoing England Test series to comparatively friendlier batting conditions abroad. Jadeja played a crucial knock of 72 off 131 balls in India’s first innings of the third Test at Lord’s, helping the visitors level England’s total of 387 after finding themselves at a precarious 248/4. The left-hander’s composed innings was his third successive half-century of the series, after scores of 89 and 69* in the second Test at Edgbaston.
Speaking on ESPN Cricinfo after the third day’s play, Manjrekar pointed out that Jadeja has benefitted from slightly easier surfaces than those typically seen in India. He stated, “If you look at his performance just before this series, against New Zealand on turning pitches and in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he wasn't great. So, he cashed in when the opportunity to get runs a little more easily came, when the challenge was a little easier than at home on those rank turners or against an Australian side on slightly helpful pitches.”
Manjrekar also highlighted the role of Jadeja’s experience in reviving his form after a lean 2024/25 season in Tests, during which he averaged under 26 across eight matches. With the series now tied at 1-1, Jadeja has become a pivotal figure in India’s lineup, averaging 88.66 across five innings in this tour of England.
“It's Not Just About the Runs, But the Grind”
Elaborating on Jadeja’s evolution as a batter, Manjrekar praised his ability to adapt to Test match demands. “It's not just about the runs, but the grind in the middle, and that's been the big change from his earlier days, where he used to come and throw his bat around to score quickly,” he noted. The former batter commended Jadeja’s temperament and his knack for handling the second new ball effectively.
He added, “The amazing thing about Jadeja is he got about 70-odd runs but batted almost four hours, and that's been the great facet about his batting performances over the years.” As Day 3 concluded at Lord’s, both teams stood evenly matched after scoring 387 in their first innings, with England reaching 2/0 in one over of their second innings.
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